party time
Having a tough time coming up with something new for your child's birthday party? Princesses and pirates may have worn themselves out but they are only two of many ideas on which to base a great party. The possibilities are endless!
First, select a theme. Start by asking the birthday boy or girl what he or she likes. Bugs, dinosaurs, trucks, teddy bears? A child's interests are a great jumping off point for a party theme.
Theme Ideas –
- "Living Things" Parties: Bugs, dinosaurs, jungle animals, pet parade, and zoo animals all make great party themes. All parties centered on living things can have names and faces for just about everything. You can even name the food! For example, Green Slime Frog Punch, Dinosaur Donuts, Puppy Face Pizza, and My Little Kitty Birthday Cake.
- "Cat in the Hat": Everything at this party will be based on Dr. Seuss and his marvelous books. (Also works with any author or literary character. For older kids try "Harry Potter.")
- Chef Party: Chef hats and aprons for everyone! Bake and eat the product right at the party.Color Party: Everyone dresses in your child's favorite color. The food, decorations, balloons and all party décor will include that color.
- Construction Party: Bob the Builder is a great construction character to build your party on.
- Enchanted Party: Little girls love pretty and sparkly. Fantasy characters from movies and books make great party themes. Try "Tangled," "Cinderella," "Princess and the Frog," "Tinker Bell," or "Beauty and the Beast." You know which one is right for your little princess.
- Outer Space: Rocket ships, planets, even space creatures can make an entertaining party.
- Sports Enthusiasts: Mix 'em up or pick the one sport that is your child's favorite. Don't forget about the possibility of an Olympics party, especially with summer Olympics right around the corner!
- Superheroes: Superman? Batman? Green Lantern? Include them all or celebrate with that one special character your child likes most.
As soon as you settle on a theme jot down some ideas, weaving that theme through everything you do. That will include the invitations, paper goods, decorations and banners, goodie bags, games and food.
It can be great fun to have the party-goers dress in kind, as well. Ask them to come dressed in costume or offer a prop when they arrive at the door. For instance, if your little one is enamored with Dr. Seuss's "Cat in the Hat" and you opt for a "Cat in the Hat" party, make hats just like the one in the story for everyone to wear. If you go for a construction party, get plastic hard hats from the local party store for your child and his friends. Is Tinkerbell the centerpiece? How about a fairy wand for everyone! Speaking of hats, hats are fun to decorate. Buy some cheap party hats and make it a craft project as part of the party activities. Kids can decorate their hats and take them home when they leave.
Activities –
Games should be fun, age appropriate and active.
- Basketball Hoops: This indoor activity can be easily put together with a clean waste paper basket, scrap paper to wad up and masking tape to put throw-lines on the floor. (Foam rubber balls can be used instead of paper.) Set up your own rules. Baskets made from further away can be worth more points.
- Dress for Success Relay Race: Yes, it is possible to have an indoor relay race. Split your guests up in two teams standing next to each other, in line. Have two piles of random clothes (8-10 items is a good number) at the opposite end of the room, across from each team. The first person of each team quickly walks to their pile, put all of the clothes on over their own clothes and quickly takes the pile of clothes off again. They hasten back to the line, tag the next person and keep going until one of the teams completely finishes. That team wins!
- Face painting: Paint the children's faces with colorful face paints to look like the creatures or characters in your theme. Not sure how to do it? Look for instructions and examples online prior to the event.
- Find the Dinosaur Egg Hunt: Similar to an Easter Egg hunt use plastic eggs that twist apart with little goodies inside. Plant them around the house and let your little dinosaur egg hunters go wild finding their treasures.
- Pin the “Tail” on Anything: Whatever your theme, use a large picture of that theme. If you have an animal theme going, use a picture of any animal that has a tail. A Dr. Seuss party is also easy. Pin the tail or even the hat on the Cat in the Hat. Other themes may take a little more ingenuity.
- Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of kinds of treasures the kids will be hunting for. Older children can actually go door-to-door with an adult chaperone to ask for items on the list. Scavenger hunts for younger children can take place right indoors. How? Place items or pictures around the house for them to find and put in their game bags. For instance, if you are throwing a Zoo Party, make a list of animals that you'd find in a zoo. Find photos of those animals that they are hunting for – tigers, monkeys, elephants – and hide them around the house. The first to get one of each animal on the list wins.
Treats –
What kind of food do kids like? Foods that look fun are always a big hit.
- Cut finger-sandwiches into fun shapes using cookie cutters.
- Make open face sandwiches using ingredients like cut pepper, olives or pimento to make faces.
- Let the children make their own pizza or decorate their own cupcakes.
- Outdoor parties can include roasting hot dogs over an open flame (with adult supervision!) and making s'mores.
Goodie Bags –
Every partygoer should take home some kind of favor. Goodie bags are very popular. Many styles and types of goodie bags can be purchased from party supply stores but why not make it a fun craft project, too?
Paper Bag Puppets Make Great Goodie Bags! Start with a plain, hand-sized paper bag. (Brown lunch bags or small colorful gift bags work great!) Provide cut-outs of the characters that best go with your party theme. For example if your party is a zoo theme you could use parts of tigers, elephants, peacocks and monkey faces for the puppets. Give the kids the unadorned bag, cut-outs, glue, googly eyes, feathers, and glitter. At the end of the party, turn the puppets over and fill them with candy, trinkets, specialty pencils and mini-pads of paper to take home as their party favors!
Finally, remember to have fun!
Sinea Pies is a contributing writer to the Rochester Area & RocParent. She lives in the Rochester area and often writes about organizing, parent & family, education, cooking, nutrition, faith, dogs and time management on her website Ducks 'n a Row.http://www.ducksnarow.com
